_{By Madeline Harris}

In the summer of 2022, Mick Rudolph found himself unexpectedly acquiring new bandmates to play the finals show with him at Velour’s Battle of the Bands. Not anticipating making it far, he was bandless for the final round. It was in these fateful circumstances that the seed of Seaslak was born — one that would blossom in the years to come and showcase the product of people working together.

With only a couple of days to prepare for the final round, Mick reached out for some accompaniment and found Schuyler, who agreed to play with him for the show. They only practiced once before the finale, where Schuyler’s roles on keys and backup vocals were established. Mick also called on the guitar skill of his cousin-in-law Sam, who was, at the time, only “temporarily stepping in.” This too was Sam’s first performance with Seaslak. In the time following the well-received performance, everyone concluded that Sam should hold a permanent post in the band. Mick and Sam both had this goal in mind but for weeks were hesitant to reach out and make it happen.

Once the exchange transpired and all parties fell on the same page, the ball began to roll. The formation of the group was a serendipitous merging of talent and is characterized by trust, exploration, and comradery. Even Seaslak’s name is a tribute to the people who help shape us as we evolve in the world. Mick, the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and founding member of the band, named the group as a tribute to his mother’s maiden name. 

“I liked the idea of this project being a product of not only what we all collectively as band members put into it, but also a product of what’s come before us which has composed who we are which then informs the music that we make.” 

This rawness and authenticity is what makes Seaslak’s songs, lyrically and ambiently, so warm and familiar. These elements shine through in the band’s growing repertoire. In the years following 2022’s Summer BotB, the group has grown and gathered the rest of its shining lineup: Jordan on drums, Lydia on supplemental keys, organ, and backup vocals, and Jake on bass. (Mick recruited Jake without knowing he had never actually played an electric bass, only upright- a detail that was revealed during our interview.) The group works so well together and to me, is a prime example of symbiotic band relations. All members talk about each other with admiration, and support radiates from their dynamics.

Their creative process is a synergy between skillsets and ideas, and the finished product is refined and dynamic. Mick will start working on a song, and once he has “reached the end of his rope” creatively, he’ll present the band with the demo.

“Mick does a really good job of having a strong vision for a project while leaving us room to build ideas,” Lydia explains. It’s essentially a trust-centered process that allows seeds of song to flourish and turn visions into reality.

Skylar recounts an occasion when Mick approached her with what he deemed a throw-away song — a demo that ended up evolving into “Graceland,” the headlining track on their latest EP Oh Lord, My Retinas!: “Mick got through playing us this demo and ended it with ‘…but we probably won’t end up doing anything with it.’ But we thought it was great.”

Recognizing its potential, the band worked at the song until it evolved into one of their most energetic tracks and a fan-favorite to see live. It draws on classic Americana rock elements and counters the more mellow tracks on the rest of the EP. Mick notes that when he had done all he could with “Graceland,” the bandmates took charge to shape the rest of the song. Upon briefly stepping out from their jam session one day, he returned to find the creative acapella and percussive ending of the song.

“I think they were hitting some boxes… it was totally unexpected and surprising and not what we set out to do originally and it was perfect. That was really, really cool.”

Seaslak’s recording process involves only the members of the band. Sam took it upon himself to mix, which worked better than trying to recruit an outsider to a creative process that already involved six people. They work now in a studio space that doubles as a woodshop (Sam actually built the Les Paul Junior he plays on “Graceland”— a detail I felt needed to be appreciated.) 

A notable moment for their career thus far was opening for The National Parks, a local gem gone big, on their recent Wild Spirit tour. To give back to the music scene that gave them their start, The National Parks wanted to have a local band open for them at their home venue, the Sandy Amphitheater. Seaslak described the experience of playing for a crowd seven times larger than they had before as surreal.

“We’re really lucky and thankful that there’s such a strong music scene here in Utah, and we’re really standing on the shoulders — and benefiting in a big way — from those who have come before.”

Seaslak does an excellent job of contributing to that local scene, aiming to play shows with intention and prioritizing quality over quantity. They strive for projects and performances that are thorough, refined, and offer listeners an entirely fulfilling experience. “Graceland” and Oh Lord, My Retinas! check these boxes, but it’s just the beginning:

“There are a lot of ideas on the horizon that may or may not see the light of day,” Mick says. “And a lot of those are quite different from what we’ve done. What’s fun to me is this idea of how many different things can we do that are still distinctly Seaslak.”

The Seaslak sound is one founded on creative alliance and relatability. They are a well-oiled machine, the product of which invokes nostalgia for the present, and brings to the mind’s eye scenes of wildflowers and open roads. They are peas in a pod, a puzzle fallen into place — and the results are rich.

Make sure to follow Seaslak on Instagram and catch them at a show in the coming months. Check out “Graceland” below!